Each year students express an interest in learning how their brain works and why they behave like “teenagers.” They know they’re different in their thinking compared to adults and younger children, but most people don’t know that teenage brains are physically different too, and are not just hormone-crazed. Students may not be interested in anatomy but they are fascinated by neurophysiology, specifically how neuro-chemicals in their head can dictate emotions, habits, sleep, the desire to seek novel experiences, and much more.

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Visible Threads addresses teen brain health stigma through student-designed t-shirts, informational booklets, and interactive activities. To design their project products, students met with neurobiologists and psychologists to make sense of the latest research that sheds light on brain development. During these visits students were able to experience how technology, from fluorescent microscopes to eye-tracking glasses, help foster a deeper understanding of the teenage brain.

Through experiences in and out of the classroom, students examined teen brain health topics of their choice. They’ve been pushed to learn more about themselves, understand how neuroscience can provide insight to human behavior, and why it’s important to stand up against mental health stigma. As advocates students are selling their t-shirt designs for $12 to raise funds for the organizations raising awareness on their topic.

Proceeds of the sales will be donated to local San Diego brain health-related organizations. These T-shirt designs are available for purchase by emailing your order to nruland@hightechhigh.org. Please email us the t-shirt name and size your interested in. At this moment we only accept checks made out to High Tech High Chula Vista.

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Take a look at the final products they’ve designed this semester to exhibit at the San Diego NAMI Walk 2017.